Not uncharacteristically, Bali pumped in July. With a 5-7ft SSW swell @ 15secs coupled with fresh ESE winds Indonesia was a good place to be during the week starting the 21st.

Adam Bennetts was amongst the surfers to cash in on the swell on Bali's East Coast.

"I arrived at Keramas before sunrise this morning and the swell was definitely big as I could hear the waves breaking as I walked over the bridge at Komune Resort," he explains. "I didn't even bother with breakfast and was out there before the sun came up. I had a few good barrels early, but it seemed like the swell had peaked overnight and the sets were getting less and less consistent. This [the sequence pictured above] was my second to last wave of the morning and I waited a good 30 mins for it, but it was well worth it."You have no room for mistakes. But man, if you feel strong enough to manage this kind of racetracks, get ready for a 3 crazy sections barrel. That 7-9 sec ride undercover might be one of the best feelings in the world.
Bodyboarder Maxime Chapo scored Racetracks in ideal conditions with his friend Manu. Maxime talks us through his approach to Uluwatu's final section.

"The best way to catch this infamous barrel is to get there on the low tide, when the reef starts to get out of the water. You need a 4-6ft SW swell to see Racetracks at its best. Beyond that size it's maxing out. You can start from inside corner as it provides the speed you need for a good barrel through a couple of sections, and that's usually most of surfers' strategy down there. But you have to deal with the crowd. Sometimes, when a west wave hits the racetrack, you have to take the drop in a critical section, and this time you have to deal with the dry reef. You have no room for mistakes. But man, if you feel strong enough to manage this kind of racetracks, get ready for a 3 crazy sections barrel. That 7-9 sec ride undercover might be one of the best feelings in the world. 24th and 25th of July was no exception, Manu and I scored some nice gems, despite the crowd out there. We're addicted to this wave. Can't wait for the next good swell."

Chad Bikoumou was amongst the crowd at Uluwatu getting his fair share of time in the tube.

"I love surfing Uluwatu 'cos everyone can get waves. The best sessions I got there were half-tide going low for the inside corner," recalls Chad. "I like when it's big, like 7ft 'cos it's not crowed at all. I don't know much about swell directions for Uluwatu but at the moment it's SW and it looks great that way.